Happy Friday!

After what’s been a pretty stressful week, I’m thoroughly looking forward to chilling out and not doing anything more strenuous than going shopping (on the Sunday, not the Saturday- it’ll be hell), and watching TV in bed. Though I am considering going into the Big Smoke on the Sunday and watching the Remembrance Day parade – for once I can actually go and pay my respects in person, rather than watching it on the TV!

So, in the spirit of Friday (and of relaxing at lunchtime), here’s my review of Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising, online at GameSlave. It was such a shame that this game was released early, with a couple of extra months of work it could have been something special.

Here’s the trailer, which paints the game in a much better light than it deserves:

Eurogamer 2009

Here’s a link to the article I put together for SGR: Eurogamer 2009 Roundup. Also, here’s a link to the special edition podcast Colin and I put together over a couple of beers (just kidding, it was a cup of tea each) after we got back from the Expo- we were all the happier for the shiny Left 4 Dead 2 T-shirts we had just acquired!

Here’s what we talked about:

Listen and enjoy! Leave a comment if you’ve got a question.

Ah, videogame weapons, the heart and soul of any good game. Ranging from the brilliant (Red Faction Guerilla’s Sledgehammer), to the obscene (Destroy All Human’s Anal Probe), they can make any game a blast. Here’s mu nominations fo my all time top three videogame weapons.

Number 3: The Taser (Syphon Filter 2)

The Syphon Filter series is a brilliant set of games, with a decent plot and some cracking action, but its true crowning glory is secret agent Gabe Logan’s personal weapon- the Taser.

Not a traditional police Taser, this version can shoot its wires obscenely long distances, latching on to enemies and electrocuting them even if Gabe’s on the ground and the enemies are on top of a high rise building. And it doesn’t stop there- hold the button down long enough and your unlucky enemy will literally burst into flames, before falling to a grizzly death. In sheer deadly form, the Taser has no equal.

Here’s a little montage of Gabe hard at work:

Number 2: Alex Mercer (Prototype)

Being a genetically enhanced superweapon, Alex Mercer, of the incredibly bloody game Prototype, can technically qualify for this list – after all, his entire body is a weapon.

Be it claws, a massive blade, chitinous armour, huge hammers, a whip or the ability to fly, Alex has the power to take on any occasion, and if things get a little too hot to handle he can always run up a building, jump over skyscrapers or grab the nearest person, punch their head off and transform into their form- the guy’s a brutal killer who is literally walking death, and more than deserving of the runner’s up spot on my top three list.

Witness the awesome power of the Prototype (not for the squeamish…)

Number 1: The Force (Star Wars: The Force Unleashed)

I’m a Star Wars fan. There, I admitted it. So, imagine my joy when I heard of The Force Unleashed- the tragic tale of Darth Vader’s Apprentice. Then imagine that this man was one of the most powerful Force-users ever to walk the universe. A man so powerful that even the Emperor feared him- the man is a wrecking ball in human form.

The Force is powerful in anybody’s hands, but in the hands of the Apprentice it can do just about anything _ wrench doors off their hinges, fling Stormtroopers left and right, crush massive walkers into dust and even pull a Star Destroyer out of the sky, when the Apprentice comes to call, you’d best start running.

Truly a force to be reckoned with. The Force is the best videogame weapon ever devised, and deserves the top spot in my list.

Feel the force:

Don’t agree? Tell me what your top three videogame weapons are! Leave a comment.

I popped down to London’s swanky Excel Centre last weekend to take in the gaming nuggets offered up by the MCM Expo, the bi-annual festival of gaming, anime and manga. While I didn’t really understand half of the manga stuff on show (what does ‘free hugs’ mean? Answers on a postcard…) There were a few decent games on show, including Borderlands, Left 4 Dead 2, Assassin’s Creed 2 and Splinter Cell: Conviction.

My report on the best of the expo is now online at Some Game Reviews, a new site set up by myself and my web developer and critic counterpart Colin Miller. Have a look and tell us what you think!

Also, here’s the video report from the last Expo, just to give you a taste of the general insanity of manga fans…

Fridays are a notoriously slow day in the Newsquest offices, so here’s a couple of things to lighten up your day if you’re as bored as I am.

First, here’s my review of Blood Bowl, a very strange little game which plays like cross between American Football and Gladiators. And here’s my review of the PC version of Red Faction Guerilla, which is just as much explodingly-good fun as the Xbox version, with the added bonus of the multiplayer not being entirely clogged with five-year-old whining and amazingly racist Americans. Both are online at Gameslave.

And, just to add a little icing on the cake, check this out- In my review of Grand Theft Auto 4 I bemoaned the lack of parachutes, base jumping, aircraft and the happy-go-lucky tone of the earlier games, so you can imagine how happy I was when I saw this:

“Z Games, so extreme we’re at the end of the alphabet!”

Awesome.

I love Red Faction Guerilla, as my review will show you, but one particular stand out mode the game offers is Wrecking Crew, an offline game of demolition, destruction and creative hijinks best played with someone who matches your level of insanity – in my case, Colin Miller.

Here’s a video of us blowing stuff up, as once again I come across as a psychopathic man taking great pleasure in the destruction wrought… I’m starting to wonder if I should seek help…

Enjoy!

Morning all! Here’s the link to the Game On Poodcast, episode 8, which is now online at Newsquest.

This week Colin and I talked about being able to turn your console off whilst not moving and I renamed himself “Trevor McDonut”. Here’s the list, and enjoy!

• Halo ODST (xbox 360)
• The Beatles Rock Band (Playstation 3)
• Guitar Hero 5 (Playstation 3)
• Wet (xbox 360)
• Colins Retro Rant! – Resident Evil: Code Veronica (Playstation 2)
• Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising (xbox 360)
• GTA: IV DLC (Xbox 360)
• Borderlands (Xbox 360)
• Uncharted 2 (Playstation 3)
• MAG (Playstation 3)
• Andy’s closing joke….

‘Meh’.

That popular internet meme pretty much sums up my review of King of Fighters 12 - the latest iteration of the seemingly endless King of Fighters series – which is now online at Gameslave.

I found it to a be a pretty, if shallow, addition to the series, but fanboys should be warned, if you’re expecting the variety of characters and stages that usual come in a KoF box, you could be seriously disappointed.

Here’s a trailer for the game- watch this, then read the review, and admire the skills of the PR and advertising department at SNK. They could sell ice to an Eskimo…

More than just a mission pack for Halo 3, I found ODST to be a damn good game in its own right, even if the main campaign is a little bit too short for my liking. I’m particularly enjoying playing through the campaign with a good friend of mine, as the strategy needed to avoid being killed at every opportunity really changes the whole feel of the Halo series.

However, Firefight not having matchmaking support is just plain stupid…

For more nuggets of criticism, read my ODST review at Gameslave.

My guest writer Kirsty Watkinson returns this week with her take on the top five FPS’s. Enjoy!

Ever since the first games-minded electronics whiz decided to stick a few buttons on a box and call it a console, one of the most popular genres to rise through the gaming world has been the first person shooter.

Hours of intense gameplay whittled away in a small room with low lights, only broken by the odd bathroom break and short breaks for sleep, soon turned the most avid gamers into sun-starved hermits, fuelled by take-aways and caffeine. But before-long even the most dedicated of console-addicts can feel a little bit lonely, which is why the art of multiplayer gaming was developed, keeping those reclusive gamers connected to the outside world.

There have been many games developments to intensify the experience of multiplayer gaming. Such classic arcade titles as Time Crisis and House of the Dead are now accessible in the home, as wireless technology pioneered by the Wii, coupled with games such as Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles recreates the experience in your living room.

While the Wii has this technological advantage, the PS3 and Xbox more than make up for it with their high-quality internet access, making multiplayer console action a seamlessly enjoyable experience that was previously only available on the PC.

With all the improvements, first-person shooters are in many ways better than they have ever been, but out of this vast genre some games do stand out as being a superior combination of multiplayer action and blazing gunfire.

Here’s a look at some of the best.

5- GoldenEye 007

Despite being over a decade old, there is something timeless about the N64 classic which still remains a heart-felt favourite for many fans of the first person shooter.
Following the film closely, the game encourages the combination of stealth and cunning with generic gunfighting techniques in a sophisticated adaptation. With enticingly realistic graphics for its time, GoldenEye remains a nostalgic gem, setting the precedent for future multiplayer development.

4- Counter Strike: Source

One of the most intimidating multiplayer experiences for first time gamers has to be Counter Strike. The moment a new player steps into the fray, they are often set upon by a horde of seasoned Counter Strike veterans like a lame gazelle in a lion’s den. However, once you surpass this baptism of fire (literally, since you’ll be under fire
for some time), the engaging graphics and stunning teamplay action are more than worth the initial onslaught.

With realistic battle details, such a lower accuracy during motion shooting, and unpredictable recoil with repetitive fire, Counter Strike: Source is a brilliant remake of the original Counter-Strike, combining classic team-based objective action with extensive community customisation to produce a unique, personalised gaming experience.

3- Halo 3

Battling alien races is all in a day’s work for enhanced supersoldier Master Chief as he defends 26th Century humanity in this eagerly awaited ending to the Halo trilogy. The backdrop of a space-aged war against alien collective, the Covenant, with the aid of human Marines and allied alien race the Elites, creates a diverse scope of weaponry, settings and enemies to toy around with. Team this up with stunning visual graphics and numerous multiplayer missions and you’re easily looking at one of the most popular online shooters on the market.

2- Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

From outlandish to realism, Call of Duty’s approach to combat is far more identifiable for the modern day. Set in the not-too-distant future in the midst of a fictional war, the player completes overlapping missions and objectives to give various perspectives of the story. Multiplayer performance is tracked with experience points, unlocking weapons and upgrades and giving the player customisability over their character for a challenging scope of individuality throughout the levels.

1- Left 4 Dead

Unlike the majority of first-person shooters on the market, Left 4 Dead was made for multiplayer. Navigating your way through levels with a group of four very different characters, the aim of the game- survival- is complicated by hordes of infected, as well as a number of specially evolved creatures which need specific tactics to surpass them.
The tactical element is highly encouraged in this game, as is the co-operation of the 4 players. If one person leaves the group they seldom last long, and it’s generally taken to be quite bad manners. The interspred crescendo events also give the opportunity for planning, such as contacting the rescue vehicle at the end and holding your defensive positions until it arrives.
Left 4 Dead has taken multiplayer first-person action to a higher standard and, with an eagerly awaited sequel on the way, expectations for the genre are climbing ever higher.